Other anglers prefer to tightline their offerings. Either way, the strategy is the same: Get your bait into the thickest part of the tree that you can and keep it there for as long as you can.

But getting papermouths to bite is only half the battle. You have to figure a way to get them out of that tangled mess and into your boat.

Heavy line will help some. Most of the time, the water's dark and dingy, so heavy line won't affect your bite. This is also a good place for some of the newer fluorocarbons.

Light thin-wire hooks are another option. If the fish does become hung up, you can often pull out the hook with moderate-sized line. True, you'll lose the fish, but at least you'll still have your rig.

No matter how you fish or with what, take along a bag of hooks, a lot of split shots and plenty of line and bobbers. You'll need them before the day is over.

McALPINE LOCK & DAM (LOUISVILLE)
The McAlpine Lock and Dam is at mile 606.8. That's right in the heart of Louisville -- and right in the heart of some really good crappie fishing. The best fishing extends for about a mile upstream to a long mile downstream from the main dam. Catches of 100 fish a day, or more in some cases, are common from late March through the first part of May.

There really aren't one or two good spots to highlight here. It's a patchwork of swirling water around scores of rockpiles, humps, old dam structures, drift piles and manmade structure in the area. Launch your boat at one of the nearby public or private ramps and look for fishy spots.

Traditional fishing methods produce best if you want to catch high numbers of fillet-sized fish. A minnow hung under a bobber and held down with a tiny split shot is about all it takes. Toss it out around the area you have chosen to fish and let it drift with the current.

If you're willing to settle for a handful of bigger crappie, try small jigs, twistertails or tiny in-line spinners. They'll all catch bigger fish. Bright, shad-imitating colors seem to work best.

The area is snag-infested, so if you plan to fish all day, take along many jigs and fish with heavy line.

Regardless of what you're looking for, however, keep in mind that these are river fish. They behave differently than their reservoir brethren. Forget that important fact and you'll likely go home empty-handed.